Desulfurization of isothiocyanates by a divalent germanium amide.

Ge[N(SiMe)] reacts with isocyanates but its reactivity with the related heavier congeners has not been explored. Its reaction with tertiary isothiocyanates results in the abstraction of the sulfur atom to yield a germanium(IV) dimer [((SiMe)N)GeS] in high yield. The reaction with -butylisoselenocyanate produced the related dimer [((SiMe)N)GeSe] within 5 minutes as shown using Se NMR spectroscopy.

Synthesis, Structure, Frontier Orbitals and Reactivity of PhGeN(SiMe): Rare Crystal Structure of a Germylamine.

The germylamine PhGeN(SiMe) was synthesized from PhGeCl and LiN(SiMe) and its X-ray crystal structure was determined. This structure represents only the fourth crystallographically characterized germylamine that has been reported. The two sterically encumbering -SiMe groups completely encapsulate the germanium-nitrogen bond and the geometry at the nitrogen atoms is trigonal planar rather than pyramidal.

Exploring the Versatility of the Amidation of Aryl Acid Fluorides using the Germylamines R GeNMe.

The formation of amide bonds is an important process since this linkage is an essential component in proteins, pharmaceuticals, and other medicinally and biologically significant molecules. Recently, it was demonstrated that germylamines R GeNR' were useful reagents for the conversion of acid fluorides to amides. This transformation occurs readily at room temperature and has a low activation energy.